A Doll’s HouseHenrik Ibsen

Henrik Ibsen“Father of Modern Drama”

❏ 1828-1906

❏ Popularized Realism in the theater

❏ Created characters who spoke in prose/vernacular

❏ Wrote about middle-class, real-life situations

A Doll’s House❖ Written in 1879, and first performed in

Copenhagen

❖ VERY controversial

➢ The ending is sometimes described as a “shot heard around the world”

➢ Party invitations were sent out requesting that people not discuss the play

➢ Ibsen was forced to write an alternate ending that he called “a barbaric outrage” to be used only when absolutely necessary

Feminism?

“As he was being feted by the Norwegian Society for Women’s Rights, Ibsen is quoted as saying, ‘I thank you for your toast but must disclaim the honor of having consciously worked for women’s rights. I am not even quite sure what women’s rights really are. To me it has been a question of human rights.’”● (Taken from the article “No one wants to be put in a gender box / A Doll’s House about basic need, not

feminism” by Jane Ganahl. Published on January 25, 2004 in SFGATE.)